Father charged with 18 counts of abuse

A Magna father arrested for investigation of abusing his infant child, and who, along with his girlfriend, was already wanted in Las Vegas for child abuse homicide, was charged Friday afternoon in 3rd District Court.

Thomas Ryan Williams, 21, was charged with 18 counts of second degree felony child abuse. His girlfriend, Lupe Cristal Perez, 21, the mother of their children, remained in custody on a fugitive-from-justice warrant.

Investigators believe Williams caused numerous broken bones in his 5-week-old daughter. The baby was taken to Primary Children's Medical Center on Dec. 29 by Perez. Doctors found the infant had nine broken ribs, two dislocated elbows, two broken arms, two broken legs and a broken collarbone, according to court documents. Some of the bones were broken in more than one spot.

Detectives later discovered the couple also had another 1-year-old child who lived with them. An examination revealed that child also had broken bones that were healing.

Williams, who moved recently from Las Vegas to Utah and was living at a relative's house in Magna when arrested, watched the children during the day while Perez was at work.

Court documents say that "the defendant stated that he gets frustrated when (the infant) cries. The defendant further stated that he has been rough with (the infant) and that he thought he broke her arm and ribs. The defendant stated that he may have bent her legs too far back while changing her diapers."

The abuse to the infant happened between Nov. 22 and Dec. 29, court documents say.

While investigating the current child abuse case, Salt Lake County sheriff's detectives were notified by Las Vegas authorities that they had warrants out for the couple's arrest for child abuse homicide in the death of their 2-month-old son in 2006. Perez was taken into custody shortly after Salt Lake detectives were made aware of this information, and the couple's 1-year-old was placed into protective custody.

Perez is scheduled to appear Monday in 3rd District Court on her fugitive arrest. Williams bail was set at $250,000 Friday.